Apparatus for cleaning type



Sept. 15, 1931. I c, KELLEY 1,823,689

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TYPE Filed May 9. 1930 IIIIII'IIIII'IIIII.

gwvenliol M France.

Patented Sept. 15, 1931 PATENT @FFIGE CHARLES N. KELLEY, OF MADISON, W'ISCONSIN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TYPE Application filed May 9, 1930.

The invention relates to apparatus for cleaning type and more. particularly the type of typewriters.

Heretofore it has been customary to press a small piece -of plastic cleaning material against a portion of the type and immediately remove it therefrom and then knead the material to present a new face of the material for the next operation in cleaning the next portion of the type. The operator finds this a tedious, messy and disagreeable proceeding and to obviate these difliculties the present invention is designed to provide an apparatus whereby the entire set of typeof the typewriter may be cfliciently cleaned at one operation and affording very little opportunity for the operator to soil her hands.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view of the cleaning apparatus in position on the type, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view through the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a body of any suitable type-cleaning material. According to the present in vention this material is secured by suitable adhesive or cement to a backing strip 6 of 85 any suitable material, it being noted that this strip 6 projects at its ends 7 beyond he ends of the body of the cleaning material and is also wider than the width of such material.

While the cleaning material is preferably -any suitable type-cleaning, plastic compound. such as a compound composed of clay or similar substances with enough partially vulcanized rubber gum incorporated therein to form a plastic body, it may be of any other 4 suitable cleaning material, such as a felt pad saturated with a cleaning agent. Furthermore, while the backing strip 6 is preferably formed of any suitable fabric or fabric composition, it maybe of other material, such as metal, in which instance the backing strip Serial No. 451,049.

would be shaped to conform to the arc of the set of type as the same is shown in place in Fig. 1.

\Vith the apparatus so constructed, the operator. for example before putting the typewriter away for the night. lays the cleaning material upon theface of the type 8 of the typewriter, along the entire row or set of type, as-shown in Fig. l, holding the same by the exposed ends 7 of the backing strip, and then presses down upon the back of the backing strip 6. pressing the cleaning material in the face of the type. The operator may then leave the device in place over night or in case the type is cleaned during the day the device may be removed directly, it being noted that it is not necessary to go through the usual disagreeable operation of kneading the material, customary when the operator handles the plastic material itself. I

Furthermore, if some shifting of the plastic material in the device having the flexible backing strip is necessary, it may be done at the sides of the device by flexing the backing strip and hence bringing the plastic material back to substantially its original shape.

Thus. by the use of the apparatus above described, the operator may readily clean the type witliont the usual disagreeable, tedious and messy procedure followed in connection with the manipulation of a small piece of cleaning material.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a type-cleaning device, the combination offa strip of plastic. type-cleaning material of a length to extend over the entire face of the type of a typewriter, and a flexible strip of backing material secured thereto, said backing strip having portions projecting beyond the sides and ends of the plastic material for manipulating the device.

In testimony whereof. I aflix my signature.

CHARLES N. KELLEY. 

